Free online GP4 to MP3 converter

A phone, car stereo, or media player may require MP3 rather than a Guitar Pro score, and MP3 is easier to share as a listening copy. Converting requires rendering the notation through virtual instruments because a GP4 file contains musical instructions, not recorded audio.

What the GP4 format is

GP4 is the native Guitar Pro 4 file format used by guitarists, composers, and music students for tablature and standard notation. It can store notes, durations, tunings, chords, lyrics, tempo, effects, repeats, instrument assignments, and multiple tracks.

A GP4 file is performance data, not a waveform. It does not contain a finished recording that can be directly re-encoded; playback software interprets the score and generates sound with its synthesizer or instrument samples. Guitar Pro 4 creates GP4 files, newer Guitar Pro releases generally open them, and TuxGuitar can import many of them. Guitar Pro-specific effects, playback settings, or notation elements may not transfer exactly to other programs.

What the MP3 format is

MP3 is a lossy compressed audio format supported by phones, computers, car stereos, media players, and most audio editors. It produces much smaller files than uncompressed WAV, making it suitable for listening, sharing, and storage.

MP3 contains the final mixed audio only. It does not preserve editable notes, notation, separate instrument tracks, original effects settings, or the GP4 data. Keep the GP4 source when you may need to change the arrangement or render another mix.

How to convert a GP4 file to MP3 online

1. Open the GP4-to-MP3 converter on 101convert.com.
2. Upload the .gp4 file, select MP3 as the output format, and start the conversion.
3. Download the resulting .mp3 file and test it in a media player.

This method requires no installed notation or audio software. The result depends on the converter's score importer, playback engine, instrument sounds, and support for GP4 effects, so compare the rendered file with the score before sharing it. Do not upload unpublished or restricted music unless the service's file-handling terms are acceptable.

How to render it with desktop software

Using Guitar Pro

1. Open the file in Guitar Pro 4 or a compatible newer Guitar Pro release.
2. Check tuning, tempo, repeats, mutes, instrument assignments, and which tracks are enabled. Mute tracks that should not appear in the final mix.
3. Use File → Export → Audio if the installed version provides audio export. Select MP3 and its bitrate, or export an uncompressed file such as song.wav if MP3 is not available.
4. If the program exported WAV, encode it with FFmpeg: ffmpeg -i song.wav -codec:a libmp3lame -b:a 192k song.mp3.

Exporting to WAV first avoids an unnecessary intermediate MP3 encode and lets FFmpeg control the final MP3 settings. A bitrate of 192k is a common compromise; 256k or 320k retains more detail in distorted guitars, cymbals, and dense mixes, while 128k creates a smaller file with more audible artifacts.

Using TuxGuitar and MIDI

1. Open the GP4 file in TuxGuitar and check the imported tracks and playback.
2. Choose File → Export → MIDI and save song.mid.
3. Render the MIDI through a synthesizer and SoundFont, for example with FluidSynth: fluidsynth -ni soundfont.sf2 song.mid -F song.wav -r 44100.
4. Encode the rendered WAV with FFmpeg: ffmpeg -i song.wav -codec:a libmp3lame -b:a 192k song.mp3.

The SoundFont determines the instrument sounds and therefore much of the MP3's character. MIDI export may omit or reinterpret Guitar Pro articulations, guitar effects, drum mappings, automation, repeats, and other playback details. TuxGuitar is useful when Guitar Pro is unavailable, but its output should be checked against the original score.

Quality and compatibility limits

There is no original recording quality to preserve because GP4 contains no recorded waveform. The audible result depends on the importer, synthesizer or samples, tuning, tempo interpretation, effects, track mix, and MP3 encoding settings. A higher MP3 bitrate cannot restore details lost by the playback engine or by an earlier lossy encode.

For an editable composition, retain the GP4 file and, if available, the project’s instrument or SoundFont files. Use MP3 for playback and distribution; use WAV or another lossless export when further audio editing or mastering is required.